Apparatus for illustrating economics



Sept. 29, 1942. J. D, M'ooNr-:Y 2,297,012

APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ECONOMICS V Filed March 18, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet l NEW ENTERPRISE CAPI TAI.

um QRPRSS N MJ INVENTOR Q JAMES D. MooNEY www.

ATTORNEY Sept. 29 1942- J. D. MooNEY 2,297,012

APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ECONOMICS Filed March 18, 1942 6 Sheejcs-Sheet 2 lNvENToR l JAMES D. MOONEY 75u 4.4 TR2.

ATTORNEY 'sept 29, 1942. J MOONEY 2,297,012

APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ECONOMICS Filed MaICh 18, 1942 e Shee'bS-Sheet 3 m I m [75 :1 1. El

f -l- 47 g Il'I ,lill

INVENTOR JAMES D. MOONEY BYE l Sept. 29, 1942. J. D. MooNl-:Y 2,297,012

APPARATUS FOR ILLSTRATING ECONOMICS Filed March 18, 1942 e sheets-sheet 4 Hihi IHM., Il".

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lNvx-:N-ron JAMES D. MOONEY ATTORNEY Sept 29 1942- .J. D. IMOONEY 2,297,012

APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ECONOMICS Filed March 18, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 T-E im a INVENTOR JAMES D. MOONEY ATTORNEY Sept 29, 1942- I J. D. MooNEY 2,297,012

APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ECONOMICS Filed March 18, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 [N VENTOR E JAMES D. MOONEY .1 I :l By'dde. @(1,

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1942 APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ECONOMICS James D. Mooney, Oyster Bay, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1942, Serial No. 435,201

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for illustrating economics'in a three dimensional graphic form, and is specially designed to provide a continuously moving representation of the inter-play of economic forces.

The invention is particularly adaptedto illustrate the continuous flow of capital through industry, and how the system of free enterprise tends to regenerate itself through reinvestment and new enterprise.

The usual method of setting forth a nancial summary of a years operations, whether of an individual, a corporation or industry as a whole is to give a series of totals: the total income for the year, the corresponding totals for each item of expenditure, and the difference between income and expenditure, which means saving for an individual and net profit or surplus for a corporation or industry. That gives a static summary. Especially in the case of a corporation or industry, the` actual operation is a continuous performance. Some of the factors may be fixed but most of them are changed frequently. The effects of any change may not be readily apparent immediately, but movement in a direction to produce a pronounced effect begins as soon as such change is made.

One of the chief objects, therefore, of the present invention, is to provide a continuously moving representation of income and expenditure and their inter-relationships.

The inter-relation of changes in wages and material costs, with respect to net income, the effect of variations in net income on such taxes as are based on net income, and the stiing effect of curtailments in net income on dividends, normal plant expansion and research and other development Work, are hard to visualize from gures.

Another object, therefore, of the present invention, is to provide a three-dimensional graphic scheme whereby the nancial operations of a corporation or industry may be illustratedx and taught concretely, so that the mind obtains a physical picture to aid what have hitherto been largely, if not entirely, abstract conceptions.

According to the present invention, income is represented by a continuous ow of liquid while its consumption by the various items of expenditure is represented by bands of flowing liquid, the width of each of which corresponds to the rate at which money is spent for that particular item.

The preferred form of the invention includes means for admitting liquid to a tank in a thin sheet over an apron, the width of which sheet is 100 units. This tank has an overow adjacent its top and al series of discharge slots adjacent its bottom, to represent a series of classified expenditures. Below the slots is a second apron over which the liquid discharged from said slots flows. The length of each slot is capable of being varied independently of the other slots, thereby varying the widthy of the band of liquid flowing down such apronrfrom each slot, to represent variations in each typegof expenditure. Adjacent the second apron is a set of graduations, one set for each band. The rate of admittance of liquid to the tank, the size of the slots, the distance of the slots below the overflow and the graduavtions are so proportioned relative to each other that `when the total widths of the bands add up to units, the level of liquid in the tank is substantially up to but not above the level of the overflow, to indicate that there is no surplus oi' income over expenditures.

A further object of thevinventon is to provide means for showing the relationship between gross income, operating expenses, taxes, dividends and surplus, To carry this object into effect three tanks are arranged in series, so that the first tank overiows into the second and the second into the third. Liquid isadmitted into the rst tank at a 'predetermined rate to represent grossincome.

The irst tank has a series of discharge outlets of variable cross-section to represent operating expenses so that the overflow from the first tank represents net income. The second and third tanks. each have a discharge outlet of variable cross-section to represent taxes and dividends respectively. The overflow from the third tank represents surplus for reserve, reinvestment, research and development work.

One suitable form of apparatus embodyingths invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Fig. 1 is a perspective front view of the apparatus as a whole;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of the tanks and connecting piping;

Fig. 3 is, in part, a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig.1 and in part an end elevation of the left hand part of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of one end of the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 4;

Fig, 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a section on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2.

The apparatus comprises a cabinet l0 having on its front and top side a series of tanks II, I2, I3, and I4. At the back of and underneath the top of the cabinet are other tanks I5, I6 and I1.

Tank I is the main reservoir for the oil or other uid used for operating the apparatus. From the bottom of the tank runs a pipe to a centrifugal pump 2l driven by a motor 22. This pump forces oil through pipe 23 into the tank I6.

The tank I6 has two outlets, first, a slot 21 (Fig. 3) over the lower edge of which oil can ow in a broad thin stream onto the apron 28;

Oil from this apron falls into the tank II. The l other outlet for tank I6 is an overilow pipe 26 leading back to the main reservoir I5. Thepurpose of this pipe is to maintainA the;level c'on` l j stant in tank I6. Over thetank vI5 a hood 29 on the front of which is the-legend Industrys gross income and also, if desired, a scale of the same length as the slot 21 divided into 100 units.

vA glass'plate/M extends across the front of apron Rent-interest. Each outlet leads `to 'one or other of five tubes-3|, Figs. 8, 9 andl0, closed at o both` ends and-provided with -a slot-32 valongits bottom. Extending Aaxially through each -tube is `a threaded shaft -33 Von vwhich-a piston 34e-is mounted. Thispiston hasva lug 35 extending through the slot. This lug, by engagingthe Walls of the -slot 32, prevents'rotation of therpiston -so that by turning the shaft by motor 36` and belt V31 the piston can be movedalong 'the tube-3| so as to vary the effective rlengthof the'slot therein.

The ive lslots discharge Yoil over an apron 40 on which the legends fMateri-als,V etc., --are printed. A'strip-of ygauze-42 -along the lower edge of this apron collects the oil flowing overitand returnsit tothe main reservoir I5. Depending from thelower front margin of the -tank VII Ya plate 43 which serves the double-purpose of concealing the tubes-3I -andcarrying-tive sets of graduations by which the width of the bands of oil llowing over the apron4 can be observed.

While liquidsof low viscosity, such as Water, could Ibe used, much-smoother-owingrbands can be obtained by using liquids of v considerably greater viscosity; S. A. E. 10 motor oil has -proved excellent for this purpose. To enable the bands of liquid to .be more readily observed, theA aprons are made of white enamel `and a-liquid is used which is vmore or less colored.v They usual grades of automobile lubricating oil have suiiicient-color for such purpose. Additional `coloring matter may Vbe used, if desired. The terrnrfcolored liquids is intended to include liquids which are black or partially opaque. l

To keep the sides-of the bands -ofV oil flowing from the slots |32 parallel, devices -38 resembling an automobile windshield wiperare connected to the lugs 35 on the pistons so that they moveto and fro over the apron with movements 4of Athe pistons and thereby are always located exactly at the adjacent ends of the slots. Angle bars 39 are secured to the apron 40 adjacent the other ends of the slots to keep the bands of oilspreadingaway from the devices 38. a Y

Thetank II has an overflow spout 41 for any ollfinV excess vof the amount discharged through the-slots 32a. The Widthof the slots 32, depth of the band of oil ilowing through the slot 21 and the head of oil above these slots and the graduations on 43 may be so adjusted relatively to each other that, when the total effective lengths of the five slots 32 add up to 100 units oil will accumulate in tank I I until the level thereof reaches the bottom of the overilow spout 41. That relationship is desirable to indicate that when 100% of the gross income is spent for materials, labor, depreciation, management, rent and interest, there is nothing left for taxes, dividends and surplus. If however, the effective length of one or more of the slots is decreased, sothat the total slot length is only 8O units, then 20% of the gross income, as represented by the flow VVover apron 28, will spill over into tank I2 through the spout 41.

One advantage of spreading the liquid used Yfor demonstration into thin bands is to enable relative small flows of liquid to produce relatively large visual effects. Tokeep the visual effect of the overflow through spout 41 .in the same general relationship to the ratelof flow therethrough, it is desirable to have a narrow deep spout. Further, by making the spout V-shaped, as shown in Fig. 10, it is possible to accentuate-the apparent volume of small rates ofY-ilowand at the same time afford adequate-carrying capacity for large lrates of ilow. Y

For demonstration purposes-it .is often desirable to ll the tank- I IYquicklyand-then reduce vtherlovv thereto. That can be done byspeeding upv-the flow of oil lso-that an excessive .amount of oil flows down over ithe apronf28 into tank II; As-lthe amount of .oil which-can escape through the slots in the tubes 32.is limited and the overflow spout 41 can carry only a small flow of oil, itis desirable to provide supplemental overflow meanslto prevent thercontents ofthe .This supplemental overow device,

Fig. 6, while its relation to the rest of the apparatus is shown in Figs. l2 and 4.

'I'his overflow `device comprises intake and discharge lcompartments connected together. Between these compartments is a gate or Weir, the height lof which can be adjusted to varythe level at which liquid inthe intake compartmentY can spill over into the discharge compartment.

The intake compartment comprises a cylinder 45 closed topand bottom. A vpipe 446 allows oil to enter. the bottomV of the cylinder from the tank .-II. Atttached to one side of the cylinder is the discharge` compartment consisting of a chamber 48 having `a discharge pipe 49-1eading therefrom to the tank I5. VTo enable the oil level in tank.II, .at which the overflow device 44 begins'to. operate,. to beV adjusted, a sleevev 50 is slidably Vbut non-rotatably mounted in the cylinder Y45. Variousmeans may be used for adjusting. theheight of this sleeve. One convenient method is by ymeans of a shaft-5I. Centrally and rotatably mounted within the cylinder 45 and having threaded engagement .Withthe central :boss 52 of a spider 53 within the sleeve 50. is a shaft 5I. By turning the shaft 5I the height of the top of. the sleeve 5I), which constitutes the gate -or 'Weir over which the excess oilcandischarge .into the chamber 48, can bead'justed. A'motor 54 is provided for rotating theshaft 5I ineither direction by meansk of pu11eys55, 56,and.belt 51.

ToV enable the floW`of..oil to tank II to be speeded` up or reduced as desired, various meth.-

ods are available. One is to change the speed of the motor 22 and thereby the output of the pump 2|. Another, the one employed in the apparatus illustrated, is to run the pump 2| at constant speed and bypass a variable and adjustable amount of the oil delivered thereby back to the tank I5. This is accomplished by a pipe 58 connected to the pipe 23 and discharging into tank I5. A valve 59 is arranged in this pipe to control the flow therethrough. The spindle of this valve has mounted thereon a gear wheel 60 (Fig. 7) in mesh with a v'pinion 6I which is arranged to be rotated in one direction or the other, as desired, by a motor 62.

Tank I2 is provided with an overflow spout 60 discharging into tank I3, which, in turn, is provided with an overflow spout 6I discharging i'nto tank I4. The tanks I2 and I3 (Figs. 1 and 2) are each provided at their lower front margins with slotted tubes (not shown) similar to 3|(Figs. '1 and 8) arranged to discharge a thin band of oil of variable width over the apron 63. These bands of oil are designed to represent Taxes and Dividends respectively.

The overflow from tank I3 through spout 64 represents Surplus flowing into the Capital tank I4. The tank I4, in turn overows through spouts 65 and 66 into pipes 61 and 68 leading to tank I1, which acts as the sump for the system. A pump 10 driven by motor 1I returns the oil by pipe 12 back to the main reservoir tank I5.

The oil flowing through spout 65 represents surplus capital directed to Reinvestments in plant, machinery, housing for workers, etc. To illustrate graphically such use of surplus capital, models'of a factory, workers houses, etc., are grouped on a stand 13 in front of and below the spout 65.

Similarly, the oil overflowing through spout 66 represents surplus capital devoted to New enterprise. Here again, the material embodiments of new enterprise, such as a manufacturing plant and community buildings necessarily associated with such a plant, are represented by a series of models on a stand 14.

In times of depression capital surplus in place of being reinvested in the same 'business or being invested in new enterprises, has to be used to make good operating losses. To represent such use of capital surplus means are provided for returning oil from the Capital tank I4 to tank II from which iiow the oil streams representng Materials, Labor, etc. As shown, these means include a pump 11 driven by a motor 18 for drawing oil from tank I4 and forcing it through pipe 19 back to tank II.

I claim:

l. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economic laws, a tank for viscous colored liquid, a discharge device for the liquid in said tank including a slot of variable length for discharging a band of such liquid of constant thickness but variable width and means for varying length of such slot and thereby the width of said band whereby the width of said band gives a visually observable measure of the rate of flow of the liquid.

2. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economic laws, means for discharging a band of viscous liquid of constant thickness but variable width, means for varying the width of said band whereby the width of said band gives a visually observable measure of the rate of ow of the liquid, a pair of guides extending parallel to the direction of flow of the liquid thereover to keep the sides of the band of liquid parallel and means for adjusting the distance between the guides to keepit in correspondence with the width of the band of liquid.

3. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economicrlaws, an apron, means for discharging a band of liquid of constant thickness over said apron, means for varying the width of said band whereby the width of said band gives avisually observable measure of the rate of flow of the liquid, a pair of guides on the surface of said apron extending parallel to the direction yof ow of the liquid'thereover to keep the sides of the band of liquid parallel and means for adjusting the distance between the guides to keep it in correspondence with the width of the band of liquid at its point of discharge onto said apron.

4. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economic principles, a longitudinally slotted tube, means for supplying liquid to the interior of said tube, adjacent one end of said slot, a closure for said slot slidable from the other end of said slot towards the first mentioned end to vary the length of the slot available for .the discharge of liquid.

5. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economic principles, a longitudinally slotted tube, means for supplying liquid to the interior of said tube adjacent one end of said slot, a piston in said tube slidable from the other end of said slot towards .the rst mentioned end to vary the length of the slot available for the discharge of liquid.

6. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economic principles, a tank, means for supplying liquid thereto at a substantially constant rate, a discharge opening of adjustable cross-section in the lower part of said tank, and an overflow spout near the top of said tank, said spout being constructed of transparent material to enable the volume of overflow to be observed and also having a V-shaped cross-section to accentuate the apparent volume of small rates of flow and at the same time afford adequate carrying capacity for large rates of flow.

7. In a hydraulic device for illustrating eco- 4nomic laws, a tank, means for admitting liquid thereto, means for discharging liquid therefrom, at a point vbelow the level of the liquid in the tank and an overow device comprising intake and discharge compartments connected together, a weir therebetween, said intake compartment being connected to said tank below said Weir and means for varying the height of said Weir.

8. In a hydraulic device for illustrating economic laws, a tank, means for admitting liquid thereto, means for discharging liquidtherefrom at a point below the level of liquid in the tank, an overflow conduit having a vertically extending opening at its upper end for the entry of liquid from said tank, a gate extending across the lower part of said opening and vertically slidable up and down to vary the level at which liquid canl spill over said gate into said overflow conduit.

9. Apparatus for illustrating economic principles, comprising a tank, means for admitting liquid into said tank at a predetermined rate and adapted to represent income, said tank having an overow at its. .top and a series of discharge slots adjacent its bottom and adapted to represent a series of classified expenditures, an apron below said slots over which the liquid discharged from said slots flows, and means for varying the width of the band of liquid owing down the apron from each slot Yindependently of the other bands whereby to represent variations in each type of expenditure.

10. Apparatus for illustrating economic principles, comprising a tank, a wide apron above said tank, means for passing ay thin stream of liquid over saidapron, into said tank to represent income, said tankwhereby having anoverow at its top and a series of discharge slots adjacent its bottom and adapted to represent a series of classied expenditures, a second apron below said slots over which the liquid discharged fromsaid slots ows, and means for Varying the Width of the band of liquid'owing down the secondapron from each' slot, independently of the other bands whereby to represent Variations in each type of expenditure.

11. Apparatus forillustrating :economic principles, comprising a tank, means for admitting liquid into said tank at a .predetermined rate whereby to represent income-said tank having an overow at its top and a .series ofdischargeslots adjacent its bottom and adapted to represent a series of classied expendituresanapron below said slots over which the liquid discharged from said slots flows in bands, meansffor Varying the length of each slot independently of the other slots and thereby varying thewidth of the band of liquid iiowing down the apron from each slot, whereby to represent variations in each type of expenditure, a series of sets of graduations adjal cent said apron, oneset for each band, the rate of ladmittance of liquid to said tank, the size of ther slots, the Vdistance the slots are below the overiiow, and the scale of thegraduations being so proportioned relative to each other that when the total widths of the bands add up to 100, the level of liquid in the tank is substantially up to but notabove the level of the overiiow whereby to indicate that there is no surplus of income over expenditures.

l2.v Apparatus for illustrating the economic principles underlying the operation of a corporation, comprising three tanks in series arranged so that the first tank overflows into the second and the second into the third, means for admitting liquid into the rst tank at a predetermined rate whereby to represent gross income, the first tank having a yplurality of discharge outlets of variable cross-section whereby to represent operating expenses, the second and third tanks each having adischarge outlet of variable cross-section to represent taxes and dividends respectively, and an overflow spout for the third tank whereby to represent surplus.

JAMES D. MOONEY. 

